Ager for processing printed fabrics



May 6, 1958 H. T. PRINCE ET AL AGER FOR PROCESSING'PRINTED FABRICS 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed NOV. 29, 1952 ATTORNEYS May 6, 1958 I-I. T. PRINCE ET AI.

I AGER FOR PROCESSING PRINTED FABRICS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 29, 1952 l INVENToR. vv. SMITH T PRINCE lah( WALDO y HARRY ATTORNEYS United States Patent AGER FOR PROCESSING PRINTED FABRICS Harry T. Prince, Warwick, and Waldo W. Smith, Warwick Neck, R. I., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Tower Iron Works Inc., Providence, R. I., a corporation of Rhode Island Application November 29, 1952, serial No. 323,202

aclatms. (c1. ss- 5) Although the art of printing piece goods is old and welldeveloped, as will Vappear by reference to the American Cotton Handbook (second edition, 1949), pages 650-689, considerable diiiiculties are still encountered when using vat dyes and the like materials which require steaming or aging for periods up to two hours. Recent developments in pad-steam dyeing using vat dyes and the like, have greatly lincreased the efficiency and reduced processing costs without materially sacrificing quality, but such developments are, as a practical matter, limited to plain shade work where bleeding does not present a problem. Attempts to extend such developments to printing piece goods with vat dyes and the like have been unsuccessful since the freshly printed goods tend to bleed and in traveling through a conventional steamer or ager the conveyor rolls pick up spread the different colors over the printed surfaces. Further difficulties are encountered in maintaining an oxygen-free atmosphere within the steamer or ager and in preventing injury to the goods by drippage as they enter, travel through and emerge from the ager.

The principal objects of the present invention are to overcome the aforementioned diculties and to provide an .improved process and apparatus for printingy piece goods with vat dyes and the like material requiring aging or steaming.

More specific objects are to provide an improved ager or steaming apparatus in which an oxygen-free atmosphere can be maintained and in which injury to the goods by drippage as vthey enter, pass through and emerge, is avoided; and to provide an ager or steamer the design of which may be varied so as to accommodate the different layouts of finishing plants. U

Further objects will'be apparent from a consideration of the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: v

- Fig'. 1 is a longitudinal view, partly in section, showing somewhat schematically an'ager constructed inA accordance with the present invent-ion;

Fi`gf2is an enlarged' section onthe line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

1-lig.v 3i is a view similar to Fig. l, but showing a second embodiment of the invention;

}Fig. 4 is an enlarged section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3. Fig'. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1,'but showing a third embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 6 is a-view similar to Fig. .1, butshowing a fourth embodiment of Vthe-invention.

. The 'termA vat dye as herein used not only includes thos'edyes which are technically classied as vat colors,

but also other-coloring materials vor dyestuffs the use of whichrequire's successive treatments with a reducing agent and wetsteam',A followedby oxidation to develop color. The` terms aging and s'teamingwasused herein are synonymous, as are also the terms ager andfsteamer.

rln accordance .with the present invention a fabric'is pigment-padded 'on one face with a vat dyestul in accordance with known procedures, and then chemical padded with a solution of a suitable reducing agent, the amount and precise nature of` which is governedby the vat dye used` and the manufacturers recommendations. mentV padding and the chemical padding may be carried out in conventional equipment, as explained in the abovenoted parts of the American Cotton Handbook to lwhich reference may be had for a more detailed description of this part of the process.

Immediately upon emerging from the chemical paddersi be supported at its opposite face, i. e., its non-printedsurface. Thereafter the steamed-fabric -is directly conducted to a washer where it is treated in conventional I manner to develop color.

The successful practice of the process is dependent on the critical aging treatment which must be carried out so as to avoid the above-mentioned difficulties. To this end the ager should comprise a chamber having top, side and l bottom walls of metal or other impervious sheet material,

and entrance opening lpreferably closely adjacent to the chemical padder, and an exit opening preferably adjacent to and in line with the washer. Steam pipes associated with baies or the like means are provided to introduce and distribute wet steam uniformly throughout the chamber,

'A plurality of conveyor rolls is disposed within the chambers so as to define a path of travel for the fabric to be processed, the rolls being so arranged las to contact vonly the non-printed face of the fabric. In order to avoid condensation at any place where it would injure the fabric, a condensate-inhibiting panel or roof is disposed between the top or upper wall of the chamber and the conveyor rolls, the panel being of sheet metal or conductive material and coextensivewith the length and breadth of the path of travel of the fabric through the chamber. Heating elements are disposed in the space between the panel and top wall in thermal contact with the panel so as to heat it by conduction and/or radiation to a temperature in excess of that'at which condensation takes place. The

outstanding advantages of having the heating elements within a housing defined by the panel and top wall are that as they do not come in contactwith the wet steam or other processing fluid, they are notsubject to corrosion,

a more uniform distribution of heat is achieved, and" provided with a duct through which the fabric travels,

the end of the duct projecting below the water level of the washer so as to provide a seal preventing air from entering the chamber.

Since the printed fabric must at all times beisupported at its undersurface, reverse travel or back'and forth movement is prohibited, and hence the shape of the-chamber, as defined by the path of travel of the fabric therethrough, is necessarily limited to nondinear paths, and generally U, VL- and J`shaped paths, as hereinafter described.

Since the period of exposure is but a matter of seconds and as the rate of travel of the fabric may vary from 20 Y to 200 yards per minute, the shape of the chamber-may be such as to allow the required period of exposureA for any given plant layout.`

Referringtov Figs. 1. and `2, the embodiment, shown 'i Patented May 6, 1,958"

Both the pigi had for more complete disclosure and the same is truev with washboxes W where rinsing, oxidizing, soaping and rinsingsuccessively take place. v

The ager Acomprises an elongate housing having top, side and bottom walls 1, 2, 3 and 4, preferably of stainlessI steel orthe like corrosion-resisting material, which define the processing chamber 5. Mounted at spaced points along the outside walls,2 and 3,are brackets 7,

whichsupport pillow blocks or the like bearing members 8 in which the ends of shafts 9 supporting conveyor rolls,

10 are journaled. The ends of the shafts 9 extend through uid tight seals mounted in transversely aligned openings in the side walls, as illustrated in copending* application, Serial No. 291,646 led lune 4, 1952. One end of each shaft carries a sprocket 12 or the like means by which the conveyor rolls aredriven in synchronism. Therelative position of the rolls is such as to define either astraight or a slightly arcuate path of travel through the chamber 5 and their length is such as'to accommodate the width of the fabric F under treatment.

The entrance end of the chamber 5 is provided with a dependingshield or closure plate 14, the lower edgegof whichcarries a condensate-collecting trough 15 in which is-disposed a steam pipe 16 for reducing orfeliminating condensate which may collect in the trough, thus preventing condensate from dripping onto the printed face of the fabric F. Projecting upwardly from the lower side and bottom walls is a companion closure plate 18 the upper edge of which carries a steam pipe 20 spaced from the troughlS a distance suflicient to permit the entrance of ther fabric F into the chamber 5. A guide roll 22 is mounted exteriorly of the chamber 5 so as to guide the fabric F from the padder P through the slot or opening defined by the trough 15 and pipe 20. The opposite end of the chamber is provided with a closure plate 24, the lower end of which carries a trough 25 in which is disposed a steam pipe 26, the trough being spaced from the end of the bottom wall 4 so 'as to provide an exit` opening 28 vertically aligned with the end conveyor roll 10.

Mounted above and approximately coextensive withthe bottom wall 10 is a sheet metalfloor 30, preferably of stainless steel, which provides an elongate shallow compartment 31 in which is disposed steam pipes or coils 32 in contact with the undersurface of the oor so vas to heat it by conduction and radiation, it being understood that the inner surface of thebottom wall 4 is preferably reflective so as to enhance the heating efficiency of the` coils 32. Mounted above and coextensive with the oor 30 is a gable-like perforated baille 34 which provides a steam-distributing housing or duct 35 through which r-uns a perforated steam pipe 36', the ends of the baille 34 being closed by plates 38 and 39 sofas to prevent steam from escaping through the ends of the duct. The lower ends of the plates 38 and 39 are integral with or joined to elongate transversely extending funnels 40 and 41 arranged so` as to discharge condensate accumulating at the entrance and exitends of the chamber 5. l

Beneath the top wall is a condensatefinhibiting panel 45, prefereably of stainless steel `or thelikecsheet material, which'provides an elongate compartment in which is disposed another set of steam coils contacting the innerV face of the panel so as to heat it by conduction and radiation, and here again the inner surface of the top wall is` preferably reflective so las toi-increase the: eflciency of the heating coils 48. Access doors are provided at spaced intervals along the side walls and the exterior of the chamber may be provided with a layer of suitable insulating material 52 so as to prevent heat losses and minimize condensation. ln addition, conventional temperature controls (not shown) may be employed so as to insure uniform operating conditions.

In operation relativelyhigh pressure steam is admitted to the steam pipes and coils 16, 20, 26, 32 and 48 so as to heat the chamber 5 and condensate troughs to a temperature above the `condensation point (of the order of 2l22l5 FJ, and low pressure steam is admitted to the supply line 36 vwhiclrdischarges it ,into the compartment 35' where it passes through the openings in the bafe 34, as indicated in Fig.t2, `thus providing a uniform atmosphere of wet steam at a pressure slightly above that of the outside atmosphere (of the order of a few inches of water) which is sufficient to prevent air from entering into the chamber throughthe entrance and exit openings. When the chamber is at the proper temperature the printed fabric F upon passing from the padder P is conducted over the guide roll 22 through the entrance slot with its printed surface spaced from the condensate trough 15 and into the chamber 5. The conveyor rolls l0, driven at a uniform speed, contact the undersurface of the fabric F and conduct it through the chamber 5 at a speed which provides the desired period of exposure. Althoughthe coils 32 and 48 maintain the oor 30 and panel 45. at a temperature above that at which condensation normally takes place, nevertheless a slight amount of? condensate may form on the side and end walls and also on the battle` 34, but the arrangement of the funncls `itl- 41 is such that any condensation so accumulating owsout through the funnels, thereby avoiding the danger of damagingthefabric under treatment. densate accumulating on the end walls 14 and 24 ows into the troughs 15 and 25 Where it is either evaporated Due to the pressure in the chamber 5 there is a slight flow of steam outwardly throughthe exit and entrance openings but merely enough to prevent the entrance of air into the chamber.

Upon emerging from the chamber 5 the fabric F passes downwardly into the washer W where it is successively rinsed in hot Water, neutralized with a sodium bicarbonate solution, soaped and again rinsed, which operations are conducted in the open air or oxidizing atmosphere to develop the color, after which the fabric is `iinishedin conventional manner.

lthe time the fabric is conveyed to the washer W the coloring material is completely set.

The embodiment shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is the same in allmaterial particulars as that shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and thersame or similar reference characters are applied to corresponding parts. This particular embodimentis designed for installations where it is desired to conserve tioorspace and hence the ager, A1 is supported from the ceiling in any suitable manner with its entrance andexits above thepadder P and-washer W, respectively. The chamber 52t is slightly arcuate asis alsothe pathof travel therethrough defined by the rolls 10. The use of an imperforate door above the bottom wall 4 is-eliminated and a at perforated bale 34'is used in place of the gable-likebadle'34 of the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2,.but;otherwise thesentrance andexit'openings andassociated parts hereinafter ydescribed are substantially the same.

The bottom wall 4a adjacent to the entrance is formed with `a transversely extending slotfor the reception of the funnel 41a which is positioned to receive condensate from the steam. distributing duct 31, the ends of which areformed withopeningsas shown in Fig. 3, and a` sec- Likewise, cont ment with the adjacent end rol1110 is formed in 'the bottomwall to provide the entrance opening 54. Com?" municating with -the opening 54 is a vertically extending duct 55, preferably of stainless steel, shaped to accom-r modate the -fabric F, and surrounding this conduit is a steam coil 56. Al jacket 58 surrounds the coil 56 so` as to provide a compartment functioningthe same as the. compartment 46, Vit being understood that the coil 56 is in contact with the outersurface of the conduit 55 and that the, inner surface of the jacket 58 is preferably of reflective material.

The lower end of the jacket 58 terminates slightly above vthe upper rolls of the padder P, and the end por-` tions rarecurved to provide acontinuous trough 60v in which is disposed a heating pipe 61. The end of an inlet duct 62 vis juxtaposed to the trough 60 and is con-r nected to a suction fan (not shown) so as to draw steam or vapor away from these parts, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3.- VA layer of insulating material 64 covers the jacket 58 to prevent heat lossesand minimize condensation. Y

The exit of the ager is of similar construction, the bottom wall 484 having a slot to receive funnel 40L and an openingcommunicating witha duct 65 surrounded'by a coil-'66 within a jacket68 which. is also covered with insulation V70. .The lower ends of thejacket 68 and duct 65 are 'closed and these parts extend'into the washer W below its: normal water levelso as to provide a seal preventing the entrance of airrintoY the duct 65 and'chamber.

Although the length ofthe chamber 5' may be less than that ofthe chamber 5 nof the embodiment of Figs. 1r and 2, the 4combined lengthof the chamber and associated ducts 55 Y and 65 may approximate that of the chamber 5 so that for the same rate of travel the lfabricl Fis subjected to the sameY period of exposure. The operation? is substantially the same as that above described, except that the fabric F travelsalong an inverted U- shaped path from the time it emerges Vfrom the padder to thetime. it enters the washer. jA Y Inthe embodiment shown in Fig. 5 theA ager A2 is generally similar to that Yof Figs. 3 and 4, butl is designed for installations nin which the padding is done at one level andthe washing and finishing at a lower level such -as one or more floors below. In this embodiment the chamber 5b and the path of travel therethrough approximates the shape of an inverted J and a condensate-inhibiting panel 70 is spaced inwardly of and is coextensive with the top or outer wall 1b to provide a compartment for receiving the steam coils 48. In place of the longitudinally extending steam-distributing duct of the previously described embodiments, the steam distributor comprises a series of transversely extending perforated pipes 72, each provided with a semi-circular shield or bale 74 which prevents jets of steam from impinging on the fabric F. The side walls carry a plurality of access doors h, as well as the bearings for the conveyor rolls 10.

The entrance end of the chamber 5b is closely adjacent to the upper rolls of the paddernP and troughs 75, 76 and 77 are disposed about the entrance opening. Steam pipes 78 are disposed in these troughs and the inlet duct 79 of a suitable suction fan (not shown) is positioned so as to draw in vapor emerging from the inlet opening, as in the embodiment of Figs. 3 and 4. The bottom Wall 4b, inwardly of the entrance, is formed with an opening to receive the funnel 41b which is arranged to discharge condensate accumulating on the bottom wall, thus preventing overloading of the trough 75. A layer of insulation 52b covers the walls of the chamber 5b, as in the previously described embodiments.

The exit end of the chamber 5b is provided with a funnel-like duct or extension 80 which projects downwardly into the.,washer W to provide a .seal preventing the entrance of air. The' shape and'inclination of Ath'e'f walls of the chamber 5lo are suchv as to eliminate the' necessity of using a discharge funneladjacent to the exit end,l itbeing noted that theyvertically extending portion ofthe bottom wall 4D is such as to conduct condensate directly into'the washer without danger yof contacting` the fabric F. Apart from the shape of the chamber '5Dv the operation is the same as that of theembodimentof Figs. 3 and 4.

The embodiment shown iny Fig. 6 is, in principle, the same as the previously described embodiments, but is designedto permit different periods of exposure without changing the rate of travel ofn the fabric throughv the, -processing chamber. In this embodiment thev ager A3 comprises a housing of generally trapezoidal shape in longitudinal section, having an inverted U-shaped outer wall 91 adjoiningside wallsSlZ- and 93and an inclined bottom wall 94. rI 'he side walls are provided with sev- I l eral groups of bearing members supporting conveyor rolls 10% to 10E-the arrangement beingsuch that these rolls cooperate in defining a plurality of paths of-Htravelg of varying length `through the, chamber. Onel or more` access doors 50c are carried by the side walls as inthe previouslydescribed embodiments.

Extending'through the lower partof the chamber is a I group of perforated steam distributing pipes 95, each provided with a perforated cylindrical baille 96. Spaced inwardly of and coextensive with the outer wall 91 is a :condensate-inhibiting panel 98 which provides a compartment for the steam coils 100. The lower end of panel 98 adjacent to the entrance opening joins a funnel 102 for carrying off condensate accumulating about this openv ing and the corresponding end of the paneladjacentto the exit adjoins a convergent duct 104, the lower end of which extends into the washer W below its'normal liquid level to provide a seal, as in embodiments.

A duct '105 passes through the entrance opening andY its inner end extends outwardly into the chamber beyond the adjacent steam Vdistributor'95--96, terminating just:-

below the roll 10a. -The lower end of the duct 105 is shaped to provide a trough 106 and is spaced abovethe upper rolls of the padder P, the construction and arrangeL ment of parts being such that fabric F passing from the embodiment, as in the previously described embodiments, y

the inner walls of the chamber are so arranged that condensate may ow either outwardly through the funnels 102 and 112 or through the duct 104 into the washer W.

It will be noted that the rolls 10B-10c define a relatively short path of travel through the chamber, as indicated by the dot and dash line; that the rolls 10a, 10d, 10e and 10c define a second path of travel, indicated by the dash line, which is of greater length than the rst path; and the rolls 10h-10k define a third path of travel, indicated by the broken line, which'is the greatest in length. Hence, without changing the speed of the padder, conveyor rolls and washer, a different period of exposure of the printed fabric may be obtained by selecting one of these paths of travel. A further feature of this particular design is that by eliminating the conveyor rolls 10a and 10f the fabric does not come in contact with any object before reaching conveyor roll 10h at the upper the previously described.

material thewtimexelement in traveling. from the pa'dcler to `the roll h is" suchpas to permit thecolon to become disclosureds for rthe purpose of illustration and that various changes and modications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. An ager` for processing printedfabrics comprising` an elongate chamber having top, side and bottom walls,

said chamber havingan entranceopening'atone end andI an exit openingat its opposite end', transversely extending-conveyor `roll `means between4 thetop andibottom walls of the chamber over which the fabric bein'gprotzessedi'sA adapted to be drawn, entrance andf exit guide meansout side said chamber, said` conveyor roll means and guide means being` positioned 4with respect to'said chamber to define a path of travel wherein only'the non-printed" face of `the fabric being processed is` contacted by said conveyor roll means as it is conducted through said chamber,

means below said conveyor roll means fora'dmitting anddistributing'a processing vapor, a condensate `preventing means comprising a panel of corrosion-resistant ksheet metal disposed between the vtop wall `of-"saidl chamberfand saidconveyor Vroll means, vsaid panel being substantially coextensive with the length and breadth of the path ofy travel through `said chamber,v and steam `coils between saidi panel and top `wall and'in thermal-contact with saidpanel so as vto heat it by radiationand-conduction.

2. An ager for processingiprinted fabrics comprising an elongate chamber having top, side and bottom walls, said chamber having an entrance opening at one end and anexit opening at its opposite end, transversely extending conveyor roll means between the topand bottom walls of the chamber over which the fabric being-'processed is adapted to'be drawn, entrance'guide meansjout side said chamber, exit guide'means outside saidfchmber and disposed at a level below said exit opening,l said conveyor roll means and guide means being positioned with respect to said chamber to dene a non-linear` path of travel wherein only the'non-printed face of the fabric beinjgprocessedl isconta'cted by said conveyor rollmeans as",it.is conducted through said chamber, means below saidr. conveyor roll meansfor admittingand distributing' a-Hprocessing. vapor, a` condensate-preventing means comprisingapanel oflcorrosion-resistant sheet metal .disposed between' the top'wall ofsaid chamber and'said conveyor roll means, saidA panel being substantially coextensive withthe length and breadth'of the path of travel through saidcham'ber, steam coils`r between said panel. and top Wall andin thermal'contact withsaidpanellsoasto heat" it` by radiation and conduction, and condensate" conductor means positioned adjacent the entrance opening for preventing drippa'ge from striking' theiprinted surface of the'fabric.

3. An ager'as set forth` in claim 1, Whereinl certain of the conveyor roll means are disposed in` groups" at different levels withinsaid chamber so as todene a plurality of paths' oftravel of varying lengths. l

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